The midday sun glinted off the Caspian Sea, reflecting the tense atmosphere aboard the Azerbaijan Airlines flight. Passengers, a mix of businessmen, tourists, and families, settled into their seats, unaware of the precarious situation they were about to face.
Unbeknownst to them, political tensions were simmering. The Kremlin, in a move to exert dominance in the Caucasus, had deployed a division to the mountainous region of Dagestan, bordering Georgia. This deployment, a prelude to a potential invasion of Tbilisi, necessitated the suspension of air traffic control radar over Dagestan. This measure aimed to conceal troop movements and maintain an element of surprise.
Consequently, passenger flights between Baku and Grozny were forced to navigate the treacherous Caspian Sea at low altitudes, relying solely on visual flight rules. This significantly increased the risk of accidents, a fact largely concealed from the public.
As the Azerbaijan Airlines flight progressed along the western coast, the pilot, a seasoned veteran, navigated through the haze. Suddenly, the aircraft encountered a severe downdraft, throwing it off course. The pilot, struggling to regain control, sent out a distress signal.
Back in Baku, officials scrambled. The government urgently appealed to the Kremlin, requesting a temporary reactivation of the air traffic control radar for a single hour. This would allow them to track the distressed aircraft and guide it to safety. However, the Kremlin, fearing exposure of its military activities, coldly refused.
Left without assistance, the pilot, with dwindling fuel reserves, made a desperate decision. He attempted an emergency landing on the Kazakh coast. Unfortunately, the aircraft, battered by the downdraft, crashed into the sea, tragically claiming 38 lives.
The incident, while shrouded in secrecy, sent shockwaves through the region. The Azerbaijani government, while mourning the loss of life, privately condemned the Kremlin’s intransigence. The tragedy served as a grim reminder of the dangerous geopolitical games being played in the shadow of the Caspian Sea.
All names of people and organizations appearing in this story are pseudonyms.
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